Maximum tow weight?

[Thewrangler73]

This is an extremely noobish question, but how do I determine what the maximum weight I can tow is? I've been toying the idea of buying a camper for trips with the family, but I know very little about towing. I have access to smaller trailers I plan to use to practice towing and getting a feel for it. I've pulled a few trailers with my 2003 ram, but those were mostly all uhauls either moving myself or helping friends move, but I was never worried about weight with those as it was mostly lighter loads.

 

[JJRamTX]

Since you have towed some before you will see right away how much easier it is to tow with this truck. With a 3.21 you should be safe and comfortable with 8,000lbs as long as you don't exceed your payload (yellow sticker on your Drivers door jamb)

 

[devildodge]

We have a plethora of info on this.

DO NOT believe the towing calculator

With the 3.21 your gross combined weight rating is 13900.

Take 13900, subtract the weight of your truck and assumed payload(passenger and gear) and that will give you what you have for a trailer...remember the tongue weight and you will have your maximum trailer weight.

There are plenty of opinions and experience on this throughout the towing section.

 

[SpeedyV]

We have a plethora of info on this.

DO NOT believe the towing calculator

With the 3.21 your gross combined weight rating is 13900.

Take 13900, subtract the weight of your truck and assumed payload(passenger and gear) and that will give you what you have for a trailer...remember the tongue weight and you will have your maximum trailer weight.

There are plenty of opinions and experience on this throughout the towing section.

^^^THIS^^^

 

[devildodge]

You do not list whether it is 4x2 or 4x4. 4x2 GVWR is 6900 and 4x4 is 7100.

Take that number and subtract your door jamb payload rating and that will give you base weight.

Take that base weight from 13900 and that gives you your number for payload, tongue weight, and trailer. Continue to subtract weights.

For instance. 7100 minus 1575 payload is a base weight of 5525.

13900 minus 5525 is 8375. 8375 at 10% tongue weight is 837.5. We will just use 800 as a happy number.

So 13900 minus 800 is 13100. 13100 minus 5525 is 7575.

I do not know your passenger weight.but let's say your truck payload will be 575 lbs...your trailer weight is 7000.

You will want to go with a trailer in the 5500 to 6000 lb dry range as you will then load the camper to about 7000.

That said you will find guys towing 34 foot 10000 lb trailers and "it tows like a dream."

Since you are new to both travel trailer camping and towing...stay under 28 feet.

Maybe rent one before you dive in...not everyone likes towing and camping...we love both.

 

[andyc16]

We can help you tons with some more info, can you snap some pics of the stickers in the door jamb?

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[Thewrangler73]

You do not list whether it is 4x2 or 4x4. 4x2 GVWR is 6900 and 4x4 is 7100.

Take that number and subtract your door jamb payload rating and that will give you base weight.

Take that base weight from 13900 and that gives you your number for payload, tongue weight, and trailer. Continue to subtract weights.

For instance. 7100 minus 1575 payload is a base weight of 5525.

13900 minus 5525 is 8375. 8375 at 10% tongue weight is 837.5. We will just use 800 as a happy number.

So 13900 minus 800 is 13100. 13100 minus 5525 is 7575.

I do not know your passenger weight.but let's say your truck payload will be 575 lbs...your trailer weight is 7000.

You will want to go with a trailer in the 5500 to 6000 lb dry range as you will then load the camper to about 7000.

That said you will find guys towing 34 foot 10000 lb trailers and "it tows like a dream."

Since you are new to both travel trailer camping and towing...stay under 28 feet.

Maybe rent one before you dive in...not everyone likes towing and camping...we love both.

Wow, that's a lot of info right there, I got lost for a minute and had to reread it a few times, but I think I got it figured out for the most part. And yeah, were looking at potentially borrowing my siblings camper for a weekend or two, and it's for sale so if we like it we will buy it off her. I wouldn't wanna buy one until we decide the camper life is for us. I'm not sure if I'm quite ready to give up the tents.

 

[devildodge]

Sounds like you have a good plan. Keep us posted on how it all works out.

It is really simple math. It is just sometimes hard to convey on the forum.

But lots, and lots of info and opinions here. The RAM 1500 is a very capable tow rig.

 

[runamuck]

my travel trailer is 28' and about 6000# when towing and it is as big a load as I want to tow. 28' + the 20' of my truck make it a challenge to get in and out of plenty of gas stations so I personally would not go much longer. towing this trailer at 68-70 on mostly flat roads I get 8.5-9.5 mpg. once in a while I might see as much as 10 mpg. I occasionally see 3750 and even 4000 rpms on hills so I feel like the truck is working just about as hard as I want it to with the trailer I have. anything bigger and I think 2500 hd would be needed. IMHO

 

[Bakaruda]

I'm thinking about buying a 5th wheel RV. They have them in the 7500-9000 lbs. So I will be watching this thread.

 

[andyc16]

I'm thinking about buying a 5th wheel RV. They have them in the 7500-9000 lbs. So I will be watching this thread.

You need to consider your pay load though. What's the hitch weight of these trailer's?

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[riccnick]

You need to consider your pay load though. What's the hitch weight of these trailer's?

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Probably too much... But to be fair there are some legit half ton towable 5th wheels out there, however, I haven't seen one in the 9k lb range...

Also, if you have air ride, there is currently nobody that makes a 5th wheel hitch that will fit the truck. Not sure what bed size you have, but it's gonna be tight, even with a slider hitch, which will also be much heavier, and further subtract from the payload.

 

[Bakaruda]

You need to consider your pay load though. What's the hitch weight of these trailer's?

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On average the ones I'm looking at are 1500-1800. I would also use air spring helpers. Not sure what I will do though.

 

[andyc16]

On average the ones I'm looking at are 1500-1800. I would also use air spring helpers. Not sure what I will do though.

Personally I would not go that route. Your gonna be over on gawr. You may be able to stay in your ratings with one of the lighter ones dry but put some passengers in your truck and gear in the camper and you will probably be over. Air bags are nice and definitely make it more comfortable when your maxing out your truck but they don't add any capacity. One thing I have learned since I bought my new truck is payload is your limiting factor when it comes to towing and it comes into play long before your max to rating 90% of the time. That being said I used to pull the same toy hauler with my old Chevy and was way over on ratings before I knew any better so I'm sure the truck can do it. But my ram is way better equipped and is still almost maxes out.

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[runamuck]

Personally I would not go that route. Your gonna be over on gawr. You may be able to stay in your ratings with one of the lighter ones dry but put some passengers in your truck and gear in the camper and you will probably be over. Air bags are nice and definitely make it more comfortable when your maxing out your truck but they don't add any capacity. One thing I have learned since I bought my new truck is payload is your limiting factor when it comes to towing and it comes into play long before your max to rating 90% of the time. That being said I used to pull the same toy hauler with my old Chevy and was way over on ratings before I knew any better so I'm sure the truck can do it. But my ram is way better equipped and is still almost maxes out.

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I dont how you could do it. with just me and some fuel I only have 1140# cargo capacity left per the door sticker. the lightest 5th wheel I have seen has around 1050# pin wt. that means I am over before I add the wife and gear and fill the fuel tank